


Sparks. . . Can Light Fires

by Firekitten



Category: RWBY
Genre: As well as some alcohol abuse but that's kinda a given for Qrow, F/M, M/M, Part 2 has some themes of domestic abuse mentioned just FYI
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-01 08:59:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14516976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firekitten/pseuds/Firekitten
Summary: [Modern AU]Part 1 - Tai’s not really sure how he ended up at one of the fanciest restaurants in town but he’s certain the evening was gearing up to be an absolute disaster. And then his date arrived and the evening wasn’t so terrible after all.Part2 - They say bad habits are like beds you can’t get out of, but for Qrow, he felt his were more like a jail cell he was trying to escape from. Now, if only he could figure out the only one not giving him the key… was himself.Written for RWBYMLMWeek using the theme for "First Date" for part 1 and "Trust" for part 2





	1. Chapter 1

Tai pulled at his collar nervously as he pushed open the door of the five-star restaurant, feeling utterly out of place the second he stepped into the high-class establishment. It had all the glitz and glamor he would have expected of such a place. Soft lightning by gigantic chandeliers overhead. Tables dressed with silk tablecloths and freshly cut flowers. Picturesque balcony seating overlooking the bay. Piano music being played at the center of the room, creating a gentle atmosphere. And here he stood, in the middle of all this grandeur, in nothing but a twenty-dollar suit and worn out dress shoes. He was pretty sure the silverware they set the tables with was worth more than his house.

The hostess behind her stand gave him a smile, teeth all brilliantly white and her face elegantly painted, voice like liquid honey as she said, “Welcome, you have a reservation?”

_Somehow._  He thought to himself. Had he not made a promise to see this whole thing through to the end, he certainly would have questioned upper management on how they allowed a twelve-year-old to make an appointment. “Yes. Under Xiao Long?”

She gave her register a quick glance and nodded. “Ah yes, for two. Your guest hasn’t arrived yet, but it will be my pleasure to show you to your table.”

“Thank you.” Tai followed her, secretly hoping he was in some dark, secluded corner of the room.

He wasn’t, but he wasn’t on the balcony either so at least he could count some small blessings. He accepted the leather-bound menu and flipped through it absently, hoping to find the one item in there that was both affordable but wouldn’t immediately tip off his mystery date that he wasn’t exactly well off. Anticipation built as the minutes passed and by the time he had both ordered and gotten his water, his leg was tapping an agitated rhythm on the carpet and he couldn’t stop fiddling with the gold tassel cord tied neatly around his napkin.

_Come on, get a grip._  Tai chastised, tightly folding his hands on the table and planting his feet. He managed to stay like that for a good half a minute until he was prodding at the teardrop orchids in the crystal vase in front of him. They must have been more delicate then they had appeared, because one touch and several blossoms fell off the stem and scattered along the table. He panicked, trying to quickly gather them up and throw them back in the vase.

And of course, that was the moment his date showed up. “Tai?”

Hands full of tiny flowers, he turned around at that oh-so familiar voice, wide red eyes staring back at him in shock. “Well.” Tai said, lifting his hands towards the other. “This is orchid.”

Qrow stared down at the bouquet and burst into laughter.

* * *

Ten minutes later found them still chuckling away over a bottle of the cheapest wine they could order. Placing down his glass, Tai grinned across at his best friend. “Alright, I gotta know. How did Ruby convince you?”

“Well the first thing she started to bribe me with was cleaning her room.” Qrow replied, red liquid swirling as he swiveled his wrist. “When I told her no, she says ‘I thought you might say that’ and pulls out this scroll she made. Like, she taped a bunch of notebook pages all together and wrapped the ends around some rolling pins and everything!” He set aside his wine to hold his hands up in a mimic of what the fifth grader must have looked like. “So, she just goes down the list and starts off like this every time: ‘If you go on this date, I decree I’ll-’.” He guffawed, lowering his arms. “It was pretty adorable. I stopped her after, I dunno decree seven or something, but I saw the rest of it later and I gotta tell you, I really missed out. I could have gotten out of Christmas gifts this year!”

“Ah, missed opportunity.” Tai said, clicking his tongue in mock sympathy. “I’m getting free chores for a month and no more acting out in class. I thought Yang was just trying to get me out of the house, but this is even more sneaky. Can you just imagine them planning this all out? I can just hear her now:” He tried to inflict a bit of the youthful punch to his tone that his precious sunny dragon’s always held, “‘If our dads go on a romantic dinner date, they’ll fall in love and get married. Then we can live together again!’”

His friend lifted up his wine. “To our conniving daughters.”

“I’ll drink to that.” They clinked their glasses together, both taking a hearty swig.

“So,” Qrow started, giving a glance down at the menu, then stage-whispered his way, “What the hell are we going to order anyways?”

It was Tai’s turn to burst into laughter.

* * *

“You know, I’m really glad it was you.” Tai said, breaking the light lull that had fallen after they had gotten their food.

“What do you mean?” Qrow asked.

He tapped his fork on the edge of his plate, saying more to his dinner then to the other, “It’s just. This. Dating again. I haven’t been able to wrap my head around the idea after – well, you know.” He heard a soft hum of acknowledgment, something bitter in its tone as there always was. While Tai had done his best to move on from the atrocious events that led to his divorce and complete estrangement from Raven, Qrow had  _never_  been able to find it in himself to forgive his twin sister for what she had done. He was probably going to take that rage to the grave with him.

“Anyways,” He said, not wanting to focus on that. If he wanted to go back to bemoaning those years, he could call back up his therapist. He was sure Glynda would be thrilled to hear from him again (or kick his ass in gear; she was always polarized like that). “I mean, I was really anxious, okay? But when I found it was you, well, it made me feel instantly better.”

“Wow.”

That tone of awe had him glancing up at last, knowing that teasing grin a mile away.  And like a mouse too eager for the cheese, he walked right in the trap. “What?”

“So basically, I’m the only person in the world you feel comfortable enough to date.” He lent forward, pulling on all the charm as he curled a hand under his chin and winked at him. “You flatter me Taiyang.”

“ _Qrow!_ ” He ducked his blushing face as the other snickered at him. “You jerk.”

He figured the other would take a few more potshots at him, so he was surprised at the soft, “I get what you mean. I almost drove back out of the parking lot when I got here.” Qrow wasn’t looking at him anymore as he stared distantly towards the window, hands clasped back on the tabletop.

Tai stared at the way the other’s fingers absently brushed along his old wedding band, before aiming the other with a gentle smile. “Well. Thanks for not standing me up.”

It took a moment for that glazed look to pass, but when it did the other was smirking all over again. “Well, they do say it’s rude to keep a lady waiting.”

“I swear I’m going to punch you.”

Now, they were both laughing.

* * *

As they walked together to their cars, Qrow shot him a sidelong glance, saying, “So, I’m thinking if we don’t want our girls to keep playing  _The Parent Trap_  on us, we probably should try and make more playdates for them.”

“Yeah, guess you’re right.” Tai sighed, running a hand across the back of his neck. After living together for half a decade, he supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised. Due to all the hardship both their families had to suffer through, Ruby and Yang ended up becoming practically inseparable. Therefore, when Qrow had announced he wanted to move back to his own home, they both knew it would be hard on their daughters. Especially Ruby, whose isolating nature mirrored her father’s. They held out on the hope that it would be the push she needed to break out of her shell a bit more if she couldn’t cling to her cousin all the time.

It was obvious that it was probably doing more harm than good if they were acting out in such a creative way.

“And,” There was a jangle of keys as Qrow dug them out of his pocket, trying to seem busy with that as he tacked on, “Maybe a few more for ourselves?”

Tai almost tripped over his own feet. “Wait, what?”

“Hah, jeez. Calm down.” He ran his free hand through his hair, trying to hide the shaking. “I was just joking.”

He stopped. After a few paces, his friend did as well, turning back for him. Tai waited a few beats before saying softly, “I’d love to go on another date with you Qrow. A real one. If that’s what you really want too.”

“I-… I do. It’s just,” Red eyes averted as he faltered, the inner conflict written all over his face.

Tai crossed the distance between them, laying a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay not to be ready. You know that, right?”

“It’s been  _five_  years.”

“And who said there was a time limit?” Qrow’s sigh was so frustrated that the sound of it pained Tai. He could sympathize with how he felt because he’d felt it so many times himself, though undoubtedly on an entirely different level. That pressing desire to move forward but feeling like taking that first step was the most impossible thing to do; a looming uncertainty and shame that weighed on the shoulders from wanting something more; that terrifying finality of leaving something behind that could never come back.

But Tai also knew that once the first step was taken, the next was easier. That by giving into one small desire at a time, the weight slowly would lift. And while some things did get left behind, it wouldn’t leave things as broken as the fear claims it will. Sometimes, it was the only way to really heal.

“Look, no one can tell you you’re ready except yourself.” He continued, knowing from the slight tilt of the other’s head that his friend was listening. “And if you never are, that’s okay too. You’re the only one who chooses which direction your life takes and what you have in it. If you want to have a romantic relationship again, great. If you don’t, also great. Whatever you decide to do, just make sure it’s not holding you back from being happy.”

Some of the tension had leaked from Qrow’s shoulders and when he faced him again, his smile was there, if a bit crooked. “Heh, guess I needed to hear that more than I thought I did. When’d you get so wise anyways?”

“Years of therapy.” He joked. The fact that it was the truth only made it more hilarious.

And while they left the parking lot that night without an agreement of another date, the possibility of what might be someday left an unpredicted but wonderful spark of hope in Tai’s heart.


	2. Chapter 2

If there was anything Qrow remembered most about the room, it was the flat, steel clock on the wall. There were two rings of metal, one large and one smaller, in which welded between them were the hours, painted in gold. Held together in the middle of the smaller ring were gear pieces that didn’t move and on the centermost gear, the hour and minute hands were mounted. What bothered him most about it though was the fact it didn’t even work. So rather than facing his AA coach, more often than not, he tended to spend his sessions glaring at the annoying clock that was forever stuck on 12:21.

“It’s good to see you again Qrow.” If Ozpin thought he was a little crazy for giving murder stares to his wall, he was generous enough not to say so. “What brings you here today?”

He ran a hand over the back of his neck. “You, uh, remember when you told me to be ready for a possible relapse if any major changes happened in my life? Even good things?”

“You’ve been drinking again?”

“No. Well, okay, yeah a little.”

“How much?”

He ducked his head some. “Uh, enough to get a buzz.”

“Well, that’s not so bad. Lots of people do that on a daily basis.” He heard the sound of his coach writing something down. “How often have you wanted to get drunk?”

“Every time.” Qrow admitted to the stupid clock. The rapid tapping of a pen against a notepad was like a beacon calling his name, drawing his attention finally to the bespectacled man. “You’re gonna ask me what the positives are, aren’t you?”

“You know me well.”

_I know I’m trained like a damn dog._ He thought ruefully, running agitated hands through his hair. He had hated this exercise when he first started his sessions because it had been so impossible for him to find anything. Ozpin wouldn’t let him move on until he found something though, and if Qrow just tried to ignore him, then he’d tap his pen until it annoyed the shit outta him enough that he gave a begrudging response. Now, the noise just acted as a marker for when Oz could tell he was being too harsh on himself and, infuriatingly, it worked. “Alright I guess… positives are despite picking up the bottle again and having the temptation, I managed not to fall into it.” He thought a moment, and added, “And that I came here so I could keep it in check.”

Oz nodded. “Those are things to be proud of, if you ask me.” He crossed his ankle over his knee, leaning forward some. “Alright, so now tell me what happened that led to this, and then we’ll talk about how you want to handle it.”

The first step was easy, Qrow quickly becoming comfortable as he explained how he’d felt like he’d overstayed his welcome at his best friend’s house and decided to use that as encouragement to finally move back home. He mentioned a few things he’d changed at the house so he wouldn’t feel like he was constantly jumping at ghosts of the past and while it hadn’t entirely worked, it definitely had made the transition easier. It was when he hit the part about the pseudo-date his daughter and niece had set up for Tai and him two months ago, that the nervousness started to bubble up again.

“How did it go?” Ozpin pushed gently.

He sighed some. “Really well, actually. And when I mentioned maybe we could go on another one, Tai seemed all for it. But I, wasn’t really ready.” He rubbed his fingers over the knuckles of his other hand. “But I’ve been trying to be. I… I took off my ring a few weeks ago.”

“That’s a big step. What were you thinking about when you did that?”

“That I don’t want to be miserable.” He grumbled, the anger directed mostly on himself. “That I’m tired of deliberately trying to do shit that _makes_ me miserable. I know I’ll always love Summer, but I miss having someone there on that kind of level. I didn’t really notice how much I wanted that back until I moved out though ‘cause Tai was always there, filling that void. And, the more I thought about it, the more I realize I’ve been lowkey crushing on him for awhile now but I wasn’t really – I dunno, paying attention I guess?” He fell back against the couch, throwing his arms up in an exasperated shrug. “So, when we went on that date it was kind of like a ‘oh, so this happened’ kind of thing, you know?”

His coach chuckled softly, though he was quick to become serious. “To me, it sounds like you’re doing everything you can to move on. And Tai seems receptive to the idea. What’s holding you back?”

Qrow heaved another sigh, this one more weighted. He knew exactly what it was. “You remember how Tai was married to my sister for a while? And how it wasn’t, y’know, the greatest?”

“I believe that’s an understatement for an abusive relationship, but yes, I recall very clearly.”

He held back a grimace, the word still striking a painful chord in him. “Yeah that. That’s the problem.”

“Because you’re twins, or-?” Oz trailed off when he shook his head.

“It’s more like, I’m not sure how…” Qrow faltered, trying to figure out how to explain all the misgivings he had in a way that actually made sense. But it was like going backwards through snapshots from a disaster, each memory worse than the last as it got closer to when it all started.

The counseling sessions, some of which he had to drag his friend to (and something Tai would pay him back in spades for a few years down the line).

Yang crying at the idea of going back home because she was afraid mommy would be there.

The messy hearing that put his sister behind bars for attempted murder.

Watching Tai clean bloody knuckles after he decided to take out his rage and hurt on their oak tree in the backyard only hours after he found the courage to give the testimony that arrested his wife.

Qrow pacing grooves into his living room carpet as he tried to figure out how he had missed it all while it was happening or why he hadn’t tried harder when he started to see less and less of his friend and niece; the only grounding piece to his guilty thoughts being Summer who had to keep talking him down.

Having an all-out screaming match with his sister on his front lawn until a threat from Summer to call the police finally got her to leave. Going inside to find Tai sitting in the corner of Ruby’s room, holding Yang close and telling him softly they were hiding.

Getting a call at two in the afternoon because it was the only other number his four-year-old niece knew and being told by the deputy that his best friend was in surgery after his sister decided it was a good day _to stab him in the fucking stomach_ _with a god damned kitchen knife_.

“Raven really messed him up back then and I just don’t want to see him like that again. He deserves that.” Qrow finally settled on saying.

“And? What are you afraid of?”

“That I’ll… mess him up too, I guess.”

“ _You_ feel you’re emotionally abusive?”

“No! No, of course not but, if I’m going to date him, I’ve got to be better than Raven was.”

Ozpin set aside his notepad and pen, sitting forward to balance his elbows on his knees and cross his fingers together. “Qrow, if you were to date Tai, do you expect him to be a replacement for Summer? To be a ‘better’ version of her?”

“Wha-?” His eyebrows twisted downward at the very thought. “No. That’s ridiculous.”

“So why in the world do you feel the need to be a ‘better’ Raven to Tai?”

He opened his mouth to retort but all that ended up coming out was, “Well, shit, I got no fucking clue.”

His coach dipped his head some to hide his laughter. “Every relationship is different, because the people in it are. What struggles you and Tai may face will be wholly unique to yourselves. But you’ll never be able to make things go right if you’re too busy worrying about all the ways it _could_ go wrong. There’s no way you can make yourself perfect. In fact, you might even be doing him a disservice by trying.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well,” He lowered his clasped hands so they hovered between his knees. “I can say from personal experience that the most petrifying yet relieving thing is the first fight. Because once it was over with and the realization hit me that it was _nothing_ like it was before, the sense of control I felt I had over my life again was practically revolutionary to me.” His shock must have been plastered on his face, because Oz smiled mischievously at him. “Couldn’t even guess, could you?”

“Uhh…” He decided staring at the broken clock was easier then answering.

“Recovery does happen, but the first thing you need is-”

“To believe it does.” Qrow finished, because he’d heard it a million times while going through the 12 steps.  He groaned to himself. Did he seriously almost start binge drinking again because he was feeling insecure in a relationship he hadn’t even started yet? “God, I feel like an idiot.”

Ozpin, ever amused by him, said, “Well, there are worst things to be in life. So, what are you going to do now?”

He considered that a moment, before getting to his feet. “I’m going home.”

* * *

The first one to greet him at the door was Ruby. “Dad!” She latched onto him like a leech.

“Hey kiddo.” He ruffled her hair affectionately. “What have you been up to?”

“We’re watching _Mulan_ , and it’s just getting to the good part!”

“No, we already passed it.” His niece called from the couch. She was wrapped up in a blanket like she was some sort of morphing caterpillar.

“Not huh! The battle is way better than the dumb pond scene.”

“That’s just ‘cause you don’t get it.”

“I get it. It’s just dumb!”

“Alright you two.” Tai set the popcorn bowl on the table, trying to dispel the fight by saying, “Can’t we at least agree the songs are great?”

Yang rolled her eyes. “You only say that because you’re a Disney princess dad.”

“What was that?” He proceeded to tickle her side mercilessly until she was wiggling and shrieking with laughter.

Ignoring them, Ruby pulled on his arm. “Come watch it with us!”

It was a tempting offer but he knew accepting it would weaken his resolve – and it was already fairly brittle as is. “You go ahead and start pipsqueak. Gotta take care of something first.”

She deflated a bit but didn’t argue. “Okaaay.” She sprinted back over to the couch, air bombing herself into the cushions as she squirmed into her own blanket cocoon. “Uncle press play. But do it really slowly, okay?”

“Like this?” He stretched out his words, making a great show of lifting his hand way up high and gradually arcing it down.

Qrow smiled at their antics, before ducking around the wall and into the kitchen. He headed for the pantry first, opening the doors and moving the trash can out. He knelt on the floor and moved aside the box of trash bags and paper towels so he could get to the small space underneath the bottom shelf. Bottle after bottle of hard liquor was pulled out and placed in a row against the cabinets. A few of their labels were aged and peeling, seals cracked from having been opened years ago, but quite a few more were as pristine as if he had picked them up last week. He hadn’t even gotten half of them out by the time the movie started up again in the living room. Once he did finish though, he started setting each one on the countertop beside the sink.

Next, he tackled the cabinet above the stove, shoving aside the spices to reach the collection of cooking wines at the back. There was only three, so it was quick work. The fridge, however, was a bit more stocked. A case of beer. A few bottles of whiskey. Some vodka hidden in the vegetable drawer. He had to start setting some of it on the floor when he realized he was running out of room on the counter.

Qrow took a few steps back, looking at it all and ran hand over his forehead as something sick twisted in his gut. When had he bought all this anyways?

Footsteps behind him told him Tai had entered the room. “I take it the session went alright?”

“Well,” He said, reaching for the closest bottle first. “Oz reminded me I’m a retard so, yeah, I’d say so.” There was a hiss of air as he cracked it open, taking a deep breath as he lifted it up high, toasting himself. “Here’s to being sober.” He upturned it right into the drain.

It was half way empty when Tai asked, “Want any help?”

“Sure. Actually, can you get a few things first?” Qrow counted them off on his fingers. “There’s some scotch on my desk. Bottle of Sherry in the sock drawer.  Oh, and my flask’s in the nightstand.”

“You got it.” He replied, heading down the hall. By the time he had gotten back, all the whiskey was gone and the wine was going next. Two more bottles dropped down by the rest and Tai came over to stand next to him, uncapping his flask, amber bright rum mixing with crimson red Merlot. He must have noticed how yellowed the price tag was, because he said, “I swear I looked for all this before you moved back in.”

“Sorry. I’m good at hiding shit when I want to.” He pushed the case across the floor with his foot. There was only a hum for a response, Tai pulling out two cans at a time, cracking them open and dumping them together. Qrow glanced at him from the corner of his eye, trying to gauge his expression. He didn’t seem disappointed at least. “For example,” He continued, “Lately, I’ve also been hiding how much I’ve been wanting to take you to the movies.”

Tai cracked a grin. “Oh, if _that’s_ how well you hide stuff, then I’m just the world’s worst finder.”

“Hey!” He knocked their shoulders together. “Trying to be sly here.”

“Oh, sorry, sorry. Let me try again.” He placed a hand against his chest, mock gasping, “The great Qrow Branwen wants to take me to the movies? I’m so honored!”

This was probably a sign they spent too much time together.

He scoured his brain hard for something snarky to say, but he didn’t find it before he felt the gentle brush of fingers along his arm, urging him to look over. “Seriously, though? I’d really like that.” Tai’s smile was doing weird things to his heart.

Before he could find something stupid to say that would almost definitely ruin the moment, he was saved by rampant giggling that made him look over, seeing a couple of tiny spies peering in at them. “I think we’ve been found out.”

“Indeed, we have.” Tai said, not even turning around. “And I believe two little sneaks better get back to their movie if they want any dessert tonight.”

There was a quick patter of feet running away, the devious duo laughing all the while.

* * *

After the mess was bagged up and set in the garage to be recycled and they had moved onto making dinner, Qrow finally found the courage to bring up what had been bear-trapped on his mind for much too long, “I was wondering something.”

Tai was across the kitchen getting the vegetables ready for the stir fry. “Yeah?”

He set the water on the stove, turning on the burner for it to boil. “How was it for you when you decided you wanted to date again?”

The blond paused in his peeling, glancing over. “What do you mean?”

Qrow crossed over, leaning back on the counter beside him. “I mean, aren’t you worried about someone treating you like Raven did?”

Tai shifted on his feet, idly rolling the carrot between his fingers. When he spoke, his voice had dropped to a near whisper, “Qrow I’m terrified of that.”

He swallowed hard, his fingers digging into the rough underside of the granite. Then Tai spoke again, stronger than before.

“But, that’s not an excuse not to try. Relationships are scary even under normal circumstances.” He scoffed some, going back to his peeling with a bit more gusto. “Besides, way I figure it, if I keep letting what she did to me prevent me from trying to find someone special in my life, then I’m still allowing her to control me. And I’ll tell you right now, I’m fucking sick of letting her win.”

The words did help him relax some, but not entirely. “Never thought of it that way.”

“What have you been thinking of?”

“Mostly freaking out about how much I don’t want to do the kinds of things she did to you, even if I do it accidentally.”

Admitting it a second time was hard enough, but it was Tai’s spluttering incredulity that pushed his mortification up a level. “Wait, what? Qrow, how the hell… how could you even think you could-? _What?_ ”

He tried to hid his reddening face in his collar, mumbling, “I’m an idiot, remember?”

“I… wow.” His friend – boyfriend? – had to take a few moments to gather himself. What he said next nearly floored Qrow. “First of all: No, you’re not. Second of all: Do you think Raven ever concerned herself with how I felt with the things she did? No, she enjoyed trying to tear me apart like it was her fucking hobby. The fact that _you’re_ worried about doing anything even remotely the same, when you’ve _always_ been someone who tried to pick me back up when I needed it most… well, it’s honestly a little hard for me to wrap my head around. It’s just – wow.” He chuckled, his turn to be embarrassed as he ducked his head and maybe it was because Qrow was really letting his feelings flourish but, he couldn’t help but notice just how attractive Tai looked right then. “I forgot just how good it feels to have someone care about me like this.”

He turned towards him so his hip was pressed against the countertop. “You really think we can make this work?”

“As long as we keep trying, yeah, I do.” He set the things in his hands down, facing him and laying a hand on his shoulder. “And I know you’re feeling pretty insecure right now, and that’s probably normal since this is new and you’re, well, you. But I want you to know, I trust you Qrow. More than anyone.” That smile, the one that made his heart flip, was back. “So, try and trust yourself a little bit, okay?”

When he went to respond, he expected himself to agree.

What he ended up saying was, “I really want to kiss you right now.”

Tai’s eyebrows rose a bit in surprise. “Oh.” A beat then, “Well, let me help with that.”

Two fingers hooked gently under his chin, tipping his head up some and then Tai was leaning forward.

And as he feared he would, he couldn’t help but compare it and found it was nothing like kissing Summer. Instead of pliant lips and soft skin, theirs were chapped and their stubbles scratched together some. Instead of perfume and delicate hands, Tai smelt like aftershave and his fingers were rough and calloused.

And yet.

And yet…

As Qrow allowed his eyes to fall shut and press into the kiss, he found none of it mattered because sparks were lighting up inside him in all the most wonderful of ways. And if they continued, it was sure to turn into an inferno. He didn’t need it to be anything like kissing Summer, because kissing Taiyang was perfect all on its own.

He was just beginning to really enjoy the fingers tracing up along his jawline when he heard the telltale click of a camera phone and loud snickers as two sets of feet went tromping away. They broke apart just enough to stare toilsomely at one another. “Well,” Qrow said with slight exasperation, “Looks like I’m eating all the ice cream tonight.”

“Heh.” Tai dropped a little peck on the tip of his nose. “I think you mean _we_ are.”

“You know,” He said as he wrapped his arms around the other’s neck, “I like the sound of that.”

And as he pulled Tai in for another kiss, for the first time Qrow felt like this really could work out after all.


End file.
